This invention relates to the valve blocks, incorporating a set of pneumatic valves, for the control of the operations of a Hartford IS type glassware forming machine. Conventional IS forming machines comprise one or more individual sections, each of which is supplied with one, two or more gobs of molten glass, which gobs are formed into bottles or other glassware by mechanisms that are primarily pneumatically operated. Each part of the manipulative mechanism of the section carries out a separate step in the formation of the finished ware from glass gobs and is controlled by the operation of a pneumatic valve. The present IS machines will have as many as twenty-one separate poppet valves, all of which are necessary to control the complete forming cycle. Each valve is normally operated by a separate lever and latch system and each lever and latch system is controlled by an adjustable cam carried by a rotating timing drum. All of the cams are normally housed together on a timing drum which is mounted in a space whose width is about twenty-one inches, this being the widest dimension of the IS machine. Recently, a development of electronic controls for an IS glassware forming machine has necessitated the operation of pneumatic valves under the control of an electrical impulse responsive device. Such a device takes the form of a solenoid operated pilot valve whose operation will control the delivery of an air impulse to the machine operated poppet valves which in turn control the machine air supply to the various pneumatic motors on this machine section. One such valve block of recent design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,489 issued Nov. 11, 1975. The present invention is considered an improved device and system for operating an IS machine.
The conventional IS machine has a generally rectangular valve block interface surface in a vertical plane, with a plurality of holes formed therein with each hole being connected to the various operating motors of the forming machine. These holes and connections will be carrying air under pressure to the motors and also exhaust air from the motors upon the proper sequencing of the operators. For example, a motor will close the molds and another motor will open the molds, operating in opposition to each other. Control of an operating function with regard to its velocity may be by throttling of ingoing air under pressure or by the throttling of exhausting air from the opposing motor. These functions are not explained in detail in this application; however, they are fully explained in U.S. Pat. No. 1,911,119.
This rectangular valve block with its vertical wall is termed a "kiss block" and reference thereto in this application will be made as the air supply entrance to the forming machine, as well as the return exhausts from the machine motors.